The History & Rise of Wrestling in the Lehigh Valley

Welcome to Lehigh Valley Wrestling History

Welcome – We are constantly updating our content and welcome you to contact us with your comments, wrestling memories, stories and photos (See “Contact Us”). Our goal is for this to be a dynamic, growing web site with input from the Lehigh Valley / District XI Wrestling Community.

Just Added:

Our 50th Season summary – the 1999-2000 Season “Going Out on Top.”

Coming Soon: We will be adding content to season summaries from the late 70’s to mid 80’s. Will be updating some of our lists – Stay Tuned!

If you have photos or stories that you’d like to share, please contact me at lvwrestlinghistory@rcn.com.

As long as I can remember, Pennsylvania and specifically the Lehigh Valley have produced some of the best wrestlers in the country.But, it wasn’t always that way.Before the days of state team champions, national rankings and state dual tournaments, teams from other parts of the Pennsylvania dominated the early years of state competition.In fact, up until the mid-1940’s, Bethlehem was the only high school in the Lehigh Valley to offer wrestling.

By the time 1950 rolled around there were six high schools in the Lehigh Valley with wrestling squads – Allentown, Bethlehem, Easton, Nazareth, Northampton and Phillipsburg.Over the next seventeen years, no fewer than two dozen schools would join the “Original Six” teams. The coaches had no blueprint to follow as they were establishing interest in their schools to field a team, teaching the basics and developing their programs.

By the time the 1960’s rolled around, many of these coaches’ wrestlers were taking over the vastly expanding wrestling programs in the Valley and throughout the state.The competition and rivalries formed during the 1950’s and 1960’s propelled the Lehigh Valley to be recognized as one of the best areas for wrestling in the country!

If you’re visiting this web site, you are a wrestling fan just like me.This site is dedicated to the coaches, the wrestlers and the pioneers of Lehigh Valley wrestling.Their story is one worth telling and this is that story!